The Religious Zionist Party represents the national-religious (Orthodox Zionist) camp, one of the most right-wing in Israeli politics. It is heir to the settlement movement in Judea and Samaria/West Bank.
The Religious Zionist Party rests on three pillars:
Territorial messianism: rejecting any Palestinian state, opposing any "division of the land," and openly calling for annexation.
Strict religious conservatism on personal status issues: opposition to civil marriage, to transport and commerce on Shabbat, and to non-Orthodox conversions.
And, driven by Smotrich as finance minister, a free-market economic line (promised tax cuts, dairy-sector reform). This line sometimes clashes with the funding needs of its Haredi coalition partners.
Heads the listBezalel SmotrichPROVISIONAL RESULTS · counting complete
The Religious Zionist Party demands that be disarmed and rejects a ceasefire that would leave Hamas armed. The Religious Zionist Party rejects the agreement between the United States and Iran and wants Israel to act alone if needed.
For the Religious Zionist Party, the reform strengthens the parliament. Its opponents see it as weakening the main check on power. On October 7, the Religious Zionist Party rejects an independent state commission of inquiry and prefers a “national” commission.
On the , the Religious Zionist Party promises that “those who serve get everything.” The Religious Zionist Party does not say what penalties are planned for those who do not serve.
The Religious Zionist Party supports a free-market line. But Bezalel Smotrich's 2026 budget is the largest in Israel's history, with more money for Haredi schools that do not teach the core curriculum.
The Religious Zionist Party wants to protect the Jewish character of the state. This position goes against what secular Israelis and Reform and Conservative (Masorti) Jews expect.
The Religious Zionist Party rejects any Palestinian state and any division of the land. This choice exposes Israel to sanctions and to entry bans in several Western countries.
From the river to the sea, there will only be a Jewish state.
The Religious Zionist Party stays close to the United States, despite disagreements on Iran. With Europe, the Religious Zionist Party is in open conflict: France bans Bezalel Smotrich from entering the country.
Keep riding camels…
Religious Zionism rejects the US-Iran agreement of June 2026, and Bezalel Smotrich asserts that Israel will have to continue the campaign against the Iranian regime alone.
'Bad for Israel': Smotrich urges independent action against Iran · Jun 15, 2026 · source ↗Religious Zionism voted against the October 2025 ceasefire agreement, and Bezalel Smotrich demands that Hamas be disarmed, failing which the IDF should reconquer Gaza.
Israel's minister Smotrich rejects Gaza deal · Oct 9, 2025 · source ↗Its position: A military action against Iran’s nuclear sites
Religious Zionism opposes the negotiated agreement with Iran, and Bezalel Smotrich calls for continued military action to bring down the regime.
'Bad for Israel': Smotrich urges independent action against Iran · Jun 15, 2026 · source ↗Updated October 23
Sources : Fourchette calculée à partir de 4 instituts entre le 16 et le 19 octobre 2026. N12/Midgam, Maariv/Lazar Research, N13 et Kan 11/Kantar. Le détail complet par institut est disponible dans l'encart sondages de la fiche.
Compare Religious Zionist Party (technical bloc with Zehut) with another partyThe Religious Zionist Party represents the national-religious (Orthodox Zionist) camp, one of the most right-wing in Israeli politics. It is heir to the settlement movement in Judea and Samaria/West Bank.
The Religious Zionist Party rests on three pillars:
Territorial messianism: rejecting any Palestinian state, opposing any "division of the land," and openly calling for annexation.
Strict religious conservatism on personal status issues: opposition to civil marriage, to transport and commerce on Shabbat, and to non-Orthodox conversions.
And, driven by Smotrich as finance minister, a free-market economic line (promised tax cuts, dairy-sector reform). This line sometimes clashes with the funding needs of its Haredi coalition partners.
Voting for Religious Zionism means prioritizing territorial control and security through force over diplomatic restraint.
Security & National Defense
Religious Zionism rejects the US-Iran agreement of June 2026, and Bezalel Smotrich asserts that Israel will have to continue the campaign against the Iranian regime alone.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Religious Zionism wants Israel to take full control of Gaza, with a military government and Jewish settlements, and rejects any handover to other actors.
Territories & Settlements
Religious Zionism actively promotes settlement expansion: Bezalel Smotrich approved the E1 plan in 2025 and 34 new settlements in July 2026. In October 2026, he says he is “proud to lead a tremendous settlement revolution in Judea and Samaria”.
Democracy & Institutions
Religious Zionism wants to limit the 's power and have an override clause passed after the elections; Simcha Rothman rejects the idea of judges striking down laws because they oppose them. On October 12, 2026, Bezalel Smotrich declares that Israel's security “is not justiciable.”
Israel’s Jewish & Democratic Identity
Religious Zionism refuses to rely on Arab parties to form a government; Bezalel Smotrich calls them “supporters of terrorism”.
Economy, Welfare & Public Services
Religious Zionism is betting on competition: Bezalel Smotrich raised the VAT exemption threshold on personal imports and wants to break up the dairy monopolies (“competition, competition, competition”).
The party traces its origins to Tkuma, founded in 1998 by Hanan Porat and Zvi Hendel, who had left the National Religious Party (Mafdal) in opposition to the Wye River Memorandum. In 1999, Tkuma allied with Moledet and Herut within the National Union.
Bezalel Smotrich took over the party leadership in 2019, following a decisive victory over Ariel in the internal elections, then renamed the party “Religious Zionism” on 7 January 2021, leaving the Yamina alliance.
After the 2022 elections, the party merged with The Jewish Home under the name Mafdal–Religious Zionism. A member of the governing coalition since it took office on 29 December 2022, Smotrich has served as Minister of Finance since taking office on 1 January 2023.
A central committee primary was held on 26 July 2026. On 1 September 2026, a technical bloc agreement was signed with Moshe Feiglin's Zehut to ensure passage of the 3.25% electoral threshold; this bloc can be dissolved after the election. Noam for Israel is running separately. In October 2026, the party signed a surplus-vote agreement with Likud.
On judicial matters, Feiglin advocates a more radical line than the party: direct popular election of Supreme Court judges and abolition of the appointments committee.
Smotrich has been Minister of Finance since 1 January 2023.
He has overseen the approval of 103 settlement measures since 2022 (31 entirely new settlements, 48 outposts retroactively legalized and 24 expansions of existing settlements), as well as the E1 project (approximately 3,400 housing units, given final approval on 20 August 2025).
He secured passage of the 2026 budget, the largest in Israel's history.
He was one of the major political supporters of the 2023 judicial reform (led by Minister of Justice Yariv Levin and Knesset member Simcha Rothman), which continued in 2025–2026.
Israel should be able to launch a preemptive strike against a country or group that threatens it, even without the support of its allies.
Religious Zionism rejects the US-Iran agreement of June 2026, and Bezalel Smotrich asserts that Israel will have to continue the campaign against the Iranian regime alone.
Source :'Bad for Israel': Smotrich urges independent action against Iran· 2026-06-15
Israel should accept a long-term ceasefire in Gaza, even if Hamas is not fully disarmed.
Religious Zionism voted against the October 2025 ceasefire agreement, and Bezalel Smotrich demands that Hamas be disarmed, failing which the IDF should reconquer Gaza.
Source :Israel's minister Smotrich rejects Gaza deal· 2025-10-09
Faced with Iran’s nuclear program, which approach should Israel favor?
Religious Zionism opposes the negotiated agreement with Iran, and Bezalel Smotrich calls for continued military action to bring down the regime.
Source :'Bad for Israel': Smotrich urges independent action against Iran· 2026-06-15
Israel should apply the to people convicted of deadly attacks.
Religious Zionism voted for the law on the death penalty for terrorists, passed on March 30, 2026.
Source :Death Penalty for Terrorists Law (Wikipedia)· 2026-03-30
Who should govern Gaza in the long term?
Religious Zionism wants Israel to take full control of Gaza, with a military government and Jewish settlements, and rejects any handover to other actors.
Source :Smotrich: Thank you Trump for the help, but now Israel needs to control Gaza
To reach an agreement with the Palestinians, Israel should be ready to give up part of Judea and Samaria/West Bank.
Religious Zionism opposes any withdrawal from Judea and Samaria/the West Bank and wants to apply Israeli sovereignty there.
Source :Israel Election 2026: What does Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionist Party stand for?· 2026-08-18
Israel should accept the creation of a Palestinian state as part of a peace agreement.
Religious Zionism rejects any Palestinian state, which Bezalel Smotrich describes as the “disastrous idea of dividing the land.” In October 2026, he presents settlement in Judea and Samaria as a means of “effectively killing the idea of a Palestinian state.”
Source :JNS, The battle for Judea and Samaria· 2026-10-13
Israel should let more humanitarian aid into Gaza, even if part of it risks being diverted by Hamas.
Religious Zionism opposes aid that could benefit Hamas: Bezalel Smotrich declared “not a single grain of wheat” in April 2025, then in August 2025 accepted only controlled aid distributed outside Hamas’s reach.
Source :Smotrich at Yedioth conference: Not even a grain of wheat will enter Gaza· 2025-04-07
Existing settlements in Judea and Samaria/West Bank should be able to expand.
Religious Zionism actively promotes settlement expansion: Bezalel Smotrich approved the E1 plan in 2025 and 34 new settlements in July 2026. In October 2026, he says he is “proud to lead a tremendous settlement revolution in Judea and Samaria”.
Source :JNS, The battle for Judea and Samaria· 2026-10-13
On which part of Judea and Samaria/West Bank should Israel apply its sovereignty?
Religious Zionism proposes applying sovereignty over 82% of Judea and Samaria/the West Bank, that is, more than , leaving out the Palestinian cities (“maximum land, minimum population”).
Source :Smotrich unveils sovereignty plan for 82% of Judea and Samaria· 2025-09-03
What should Israel do about military service for yeshiva students?
Religious Zionism wants Haredim to serve, but in 2026 Bezalel Smotrich favors gradual recruitment with the agreement of Haredi leaders and rejects arrests, after having supported targets with sanctions in 2025.
Source :'I know how to act responsibly': Smotrich outlines election strategy, plan to draft haredim· 2026-08-13
Israel should allow civil marriage, in addition to religious marriage.
Inferred position: Religious Zionism defends the “traditional family” and a central role for the Torah in the state, but no recent statement on civil marriage was found.
Source :Bezalel Smotrich (Wikipedia)
Public transport should operate on Shabbat where local residents want it.
Inferred position: Religious Zionism emphasizes religious observance in the public sphere, but no recent statement on transport on Shabbat was found.
Source :Cheat Sheet (Israeli parties, 2026)· 2026-01-19
The state should keep funding religious institutions and services the way it does today.
Inferred position: Religious Zionism calls for more funding for Torah study and religious education, but no statement on funding religious services for all communities was found.
Source :Religious Zionist Party (Wikipedia)· 2022-12-26
A Reform or Conservative (Masorti) conversion to Judaism, carried out abroad, should continue to give the right to make .
Bezalel Smotrich stated in 2016 that he does not recognize Reform conversions; no recent Religious Zionism statement on the Law of Return was found.
Source :Bezalel Smotrich (Wikipedia)· 2016-07-01
Should the Supreme Court be able to strike down a law passed by the ?
Religious Zionism wants to limit the Supreme Court's power and have an override clause passed after the elections; Simcha Rothman rejects the idea of judges striking down laws because they oppose them. On October 12, 2026, Bezalel Smotrich declares that Israel's security “is not justiciable.”
Source :Ynet, conférence « Anshei HaMedina »· 2026-10-12
The October 7 inquiry should be entrusted to a , whose members are appointed by the Supreme Court president, rather than to a commission whose members are chosen by the Knesset.
Religious Zionism rejects a state commission of inquiry “under any circumstances” and wants a “national” commission, because its members must not be appointed by the President of the Supreme Court.
Source :State inquiry or 'national' panel? How Israel's parties want Oct. 7 investigated· 2026-10-04
What should be done with the 2018 “Nation-State” law?
Inferred position: Religious Zionism says it seeks to “strengthen the identity of the Jewish people”, but no recent statement on the Nation-State law was found.
Source :Smotrich's RZP releases primary results, MKs Strock, Rothman secure top slots· 2026-07-26
An Arab party should be able to be part of a governing .
Religious Zionism refuses to rely on Arab parties to form a government; Bezalel Smotrich calls them “supporters of terrorism”.
Source :Israel Election 2026: What does Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionist Party stand for?· 2026-08-18
What would be the best way to lower prices in Israel?
Religious Zionism is betting on competition: Bezalel Smotrich raised the VAT exemption threshold on personal imports and wants to break up the dairy monopolies (“competition, competition, competition”).
Source :Smotrich : « Les prix peuvent être bas ici »· 2025-12-24
Israel should create a civil union open to same-sex couples, with the same rights as married couples.
Bezalel Smotrich opposes any legal recognition of same-sex couples; his statements on the subject date from before 2024.
Source :Bezalel Smotrich (Wikipedia)· 2015-04-01
Publicly funded services should be allowed to offer separate spaces for men and women when a community asks for it.
Religious Zionism defends gender segregation when a community asks for it: Simcha Rothman asserts that the law already allows it and wants to overturn the rulings that have limited it. This statement dates from 2022.
Source :MK Rothman: No need for special law to protect separating men & women, we already have one· 2022-11-20
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